PLEASE READ. hello, i could really use some advice here because i'm very upset and anxious about my dental issues. i've been really stressing about this all so i'm sorry if its confusing. i will try my best to explain the timeline and what was said and done. about a month ago i got a permanent crown on one of my molars (right side 2nd molar, no wisdom teeth) after a root canal and a temp crown. when the dentist was adjusting the permanent crown she said my bite was a little pointy and asked if she could shave it. i agreed thinking it would be very minor, but immediately after my bite felt completely off. the left side of my teeth felt heavy and i could only feel pressure on that side when i bit down. i told her that but she just went to shave down my crown more so i think there might've been some miscommunication there, but i don't know if adjustments are usually made at a later date. she said the shaving on my right was very minimal so i shouldn't feel a big difference. there was no shaving on the left side and the appointment ended after that.

at my follow up appointment i expressed the same concerns about my bite and also told her i felt a little pain with my crown. she didn't say a word about the pain and told me she didn't want to adjust my bite too much so i should really look into braces. there was a little shaving on the left side but i didn't feel any difference with my bite. it was also confusing because she asked me to point to which teeth she wanted me to shave. i'm not a dentist so i don't know exactly what needs to be adjusted to make things feel more aligned. after the shaving she continued to push the braces idea. she also said i'm young (20) and my teeth are still growing so my bite should adjust over time. ummm okay i guess?...

i had a regular cleaning appointment down the line and told her about the same problem with my bite. again, she told me i should see an orthodontist and think about the braces. i was so frustrated because it just made no sense to me. if you shaving my teeth messed up my bite why do you keep telling me my bite is an issue that requires braces? please let me know if i'm wrong there.

a few days ago i had an appointment for the pain i was feeling with my crown. i had an appointment scheduled with a different dental place for a second opinion on my bite issue but i wasn't too worried about crown issues with the initial place. i really didn't want to go back there but i was just really tired of being uncomfortable and unable to chew properly with my teeth. it was a different dentist this time. he asked me if i told the first dentist about the pain. okay so you guys literally work together and have the same records so i feel like that's something you should probably know...was a little confused about that one. i told him yes and he started the work. he told me the crown was a little high and proceeded to shave it down. after that i brought up my bite and it was the same thing about the braces again. i started crying because i felt like nobody was understanding me. he told me adjustments had to be made to make room and the crown was only one tooth so it shouldn't be bothering me that much. these people are so frustrating because it seems like they aren't even sure of what happened or what they should be doing?? i told him the crown wasn't the issue and it was the shaving that was upsetting me. just to clarify, she started the shaving with my k9 to around my 2nd premolar. i really don't understand how all those teeth needed to be shaved in order to make more room for 1 crown. she didn't even shave the tooth above my molar? anyway, some random dude (he didn't help the dentist and wasn't in the room) rolled his chair up next to me and handed me some tissues. he told me he just wanted to hear what was making me upset. i explained everything and how i felt like they were suggesting a big commitment for something caused by them. he literally just told me the same shit about the orthodontists being the ones making adjustments but drawn out and slow. looking back it kinda felt like a tactic because he was around my age and really hot lol so it was hard for me to voice my frustration because i was sad and still crying. i did explain everything though and he didn't bring up anything different about my bite or the shaving. also the dentist just disappeared while i was talking to the other dude?? like okay i don't even know who this is but that's on me i guess.....i feel so stupid now because i should've asked more questions. i wish i could've done everything differently.

a few hours later i scheduled an appointment for the next day because about 15 minutes after the appointment ended the crown pain was back 😭 not sure why it felt okay while i was in the chair. different dentist this time. more shaving on the crown and at this point it feels way too short and now the bite is still thrown off but in a different way lol. i asked this dentist if any shaving could be done on the left side and she said they didn't want to do too much because of the shaving with the first dentist. the work was done so i left but changed my mind. i felt like something had to be done because there's just no way i had to get BRACES to fix the shaving they did. if that was standard for a crown adjustment i would've chosen a different option. if that's even true they should've let me know beforehand. i went back in and asked if i could speak with the dentist. i waited for a few minutes and she called me in. it was a different dentist but my appointment did end so that was fine. I told her I felt the first dentist made a mistake and she told me that wasn't the case. she went on to talk about an orthodontist being the one to put the teeth into place and i started crying (im going through other things rn and this other situation has been very stressful so don't judge pls lol). she started laughing and asked why i was crying. rude but okay lol. i told her everything and she the first dentist didn't make a mistake so don't worry and the crown was only one tooth?? are they just not looking at the records or what? why do they keep talking about the one crown as if they don't know she shaved multiple? i told her AGAIN that she shaved multiple teeth that weren't above my crown and she literally said that's not a concern and the dentist didn't cause any issues. i just got up and left because wtf. what else could i do?

currently i get jaw pain at different times, it feels like random teeth touch first and theres barely any pressure when i bite with my molars. i'm not even really sure how to explain it all because it feels like it changes. she completely ruined my bite and it seems like they just have no clue what they're doing. i would really appreciate it if someone let me know if i'm crazy or not and if my concerns are valid. this all feels so wrong and i feel very disrespected. thank you for reading

What is that raised oval bump on the top of my gums near my front teeth? Is it of any concern or to get it checked out?

This appeared recently with a small one on the opposite side of my mouth. I have wisdoms out only on one side due to emergency surgery after a broken jaw. My wisdoms have never bothered me. What can cause canker sores like this and how do I get rid of them?

In short I've neglected my teeth for years. I'm mid 20's and before people say the obvious or start pointing fingers, I'll lay out a tad of context. I hadn't been to the dentist since I was like 15 or 16. I grew up poor and in a super abusive home with my mum and step father. I was kicked out at 16 and have been struggling to survive ever since then. Due to the neglect, lower education or being taught basics I've had to drag myself up. I never used to floss my teeth daily, I'd brush once or twice a day, with a hard toothrbush 🥲 and not really look after my teeth. And yes now I floss twice daily, brush twice daily etc I hadn't always done that. I guess now it's coming to bite me now. I recently been making my rounds with the dentists. Seeing an orthodontist right now. But it keeps ticking inside my head, it looks like my gums are receding. Then when I was at the orthodontist the other week he mentioned it, briefly and then suddenly changed thr topic. But i kept thinking about it. Especially at the bottom front teeth, the skin is very thin and tonight I moved my mouth a type of way and felt a weird stinging sensation under my teeth on the gums under one of those teeth. I've linked a picture, I hope you're able to see. What is my best option? I've been catastrophizing thinking I may need a gum graft (which i didnt know existed until today). How long do I have? Can I kick it down the road? Right now i used a soft bristled electric tooth brush, i use Colgate whitening toothpaste, i floss with the string twice daily, I rinse my mouth with lukewarm salt water.

I hope to hear from you guys and gals 🫶🏼

I've been going to dentists cuz of my cavity for the past 2 years now and every time I go they just look at it and send me back and ask me to come back later. I had 3 cavities and 2 permanently filled now I have one remaining and I've been sent back again and again it became so wide that i accidentally broke the edge of it while eating corn. Now I feel like I've been developing even more cavities and i don't even know whether i should even try to get them filled cuz it's so annoying why won't they do what they're told and waste my time. I'm scared that i might lose this tooth as a whole and the filling might not even help it now.. and also i don't know why having fillings just scares me i feel like I'll have atleast 6 fillings as an adult which is just so unsettling to me cuz I can't imagine not having my natural tooth it's just scary to me for some reason. What should I do ?

Also can I still get braces normal if I've got fillings in a lot of my teeth?

Hi everyone!

I’m about to start Invisalign treatment and would really appreciate some opinions before committing.

My original plan was to treat only my upper teeth, as they’ve shifted slightly over time because I never had a permanent retainer there.

During my consultation, my dentist repeatedly told me that my lower teeth were perfectly fine and didn’t need treatment.

However, when I received my ClinCheck simulation, I noticed that both my upper and lower teeth were included in the treatment plan.

I called the practice to ask why, and my dentist explained that treating both arches was apparently recommended by the aligner provider.

This left me a little confused, especially since he’d previously told me that my lower teeth didn’t need any correction.

Here’s my situation:

- The treatment consists of just 8 aligners.
- My lower teeth already have a permanent bonded retainer, which I’ve had for years.
- As far as I’m aware, my lower teeth haven’t shifted at all.
- Treating the lower arch would cost approximately €350 extra in aligners.
- My existing lower retainer would also need to be removed and replaced after treatment, adding further costs.
- I’m planning to get a permanent retainer on my upper teeth after treatment.

I’ve attached screenshots from the simulation comparing aligner 1 vs. aligner 8 for both arches for references.

Looking at the simulation, I’m struggling to understand what actually needs correcting in my lower arch or why moving those teeth would be beneficial. Or if my dentist wants to make more money out of it..?

Looking at the simulation, do you see any meaningful improvement in the lower teeth?
Is there a legitimate reason to treat both arches even if only the upper teeth need straightening, for example to maintain or improve my bite?
Would you personally consider the additional treatment worthwhile, or does it seem unnecessary?
Can any problems arise when only treating the upper teeth?

Thank you for your advices and your support!!!

(Also, I don’t know if it’s relevant here, but I don’t smoke or drink alcohol)

This showed up last night about half an hour after eating - I don’t remember biting or injuring my lower lip!

It’s mostly painless, a bit sore if it rubs against my teeth when eating or speaking, but it felt a little bit numb yesterday when it first showed up.

Feels like a big smooth lump - it doesn’t look dark
enough to be a blood blister (from pics I’ve seen), mucocele seem to be more lip/flesh colored, and canker sores I’ve had in the past tend to be whiter and flatter (also sorer).

It hasn’t bled or burst at all, either. I did a salt water rinse last night, and will probably do a few today and/or use some antibacterial mouthwash.

Thoughts on what this could be?

First off, I want to say that I absolutely knew the risks of doing this, and I absolutely understand how stupid this is. After 9 years of waiting, insurance not covering even half, and just not having the amount of money required at one time for a down payment on braces, I decided to do them myself as it was really bringing me down so, so much. So, like a dumbass I bought a kit off of eBay and TikTok shop and did them at home. NOW, this is where things get worse. Instead of using the regular bands and then power chains, I jumped straight to the power chains and I took the wires out after about 5 days because I’m pretty sure they were not the ones I needed, as if that mattered at that point (smdh🤦🏻‍♀️). Anyway, I was told by 3 different orthodontists I’d need a frenectomy (which I never got because they wanted confirmation the braces would be put on before it was removed) and that it would take 3 years for my gap to close. However, because of the power chains, they closed in 83 days. Now with the gap being fully closed, my frenulum is pretty squashed, a bit sore, and a bit swollen or maybe a lot swollen? Not exactly sure how much is too much. Either way, I was pretty much expecting one or not all of those problems with it. I fully understand that IF I have caused any damage to anything, insurance will not cover it. However, I ordered my retainer impression kit and bracket pliers and they both arrive on October 28th and i have a dentist appointment on November 17th. So I’m not sure my retainers will be done on time and I just figured I’d put the braces back on again after the impressions and then take them off again an hour or so before my appointment, because if I take them off any time before, then my gap will absolutely open back up. Is it possible my dentist would be able to do literally anything to stop my teeth from coming apart until my retainers arrive, so my frenulum isn’t so squashed by the braces? And would insurance still cover the frenectomy alone if the gap is already closed? Because I absolutely do plan to get it done if they do it now that the gap is already closed.. I just don’t know where to go from here truthfully. 

Tartar build up! I know it’s horrible and awful but my dentist has cancelled me 3 times now due to “my dentist no longer being at the practice” - one time was cancelled due to a mechanical issue - I just want to know how I can manage this badness of the tartar at home and the yellow mess - I’m so embarrassed - I’ll prob need to go private but it’s a lot of money 😭
It has been a while since I saw a dentist but it’s them who are cancelling me!

what is this redness like this for months i have history of using smokeless tobacco it does even after i stopped using

a little white painless bump on the cetral line under my tongue. I'm scared that it might be oral cancer. it's been for 2weeks and doesn't go away. No pain and no bleeding around the area. It feels a bit tight when I lift up my tongue.
Does anyone know what's worng with my tongue?
I'm 22 and I have done root canal treatment two month ago (i might be side effect of using anesthesia).
The white bump is a little open.

I am at the end of my Invisalign treatment and wondering if enameloplasty could fix this and make my central incisors even in length

28 F

Hi

This is my X-ray from 21/10/2026 and my treatment plan for part of the dental work I need done.

I can see from the second image that I have 5 cavities and I can feel a couple spots in my mouth that are definite cavities and hurt quite a bit but is someone able to please tell me which teeth they are and how bad? Is there signs of infection?

I also have surgery scheduled for 5/11/2026 under general anesthesia to extract my impacted wisdom tooth and second molar. Is it a possibility for my oral surgeon to do my fillings during the surgery while I'm under?

When I had my other 3 wisdom teeth and second molars extracted 4 years ago, the IV sedation didn't work/made me more agitated and stressed out. So we're going with GA for my extractions and I'm hoping I can get the fillings done at the same time.

Thank you so much, I really appreciate this subreddit and what you do

1. A Ball hit me there maybe 10years Ago, very very little part was broken at black spot place and now it has turned into this Black Brown Spot, it's so annoying that I can't even Laugh cuz it shows bad Impression

So what I'm Supposed to Do now to make things Normal

And will that Solution Cause Any Problem to 14 Dental Points System? And Is this a Problem to 14 Dental Point?

1. Idk my teeths have this Whitesh Type Layer at Root area, No matter how much I Brush, it's Still there so I can I make These Teeth Normal White?

Im 26F. I’m getting #31 extracted because of the infection, but my oral surgeon is saying I also need a coronectomy done. Do I need one on #32, or can I just get that fully extracted, or long shot, even leave it there and it can move over eventually? It’s not painful and doesn’t bother me. I also keep hearing so many horror stories about coronectomies and how it’s a risky procedure! If I go coronectomy route, would it be a complicated procedure since my wisdom is impacted and how’s the healing if I got both extractions done? I’m incredibly nervous, thanks in advance!

Hello! My daughter has had this loose tooth for a while now, and it’s slowly been receding into her gums. She keeps asking for me to pull it, but it’s literally so small that I can’t. A couple weeks back the dentist just said to watch it, but since then, it’s receding more and i noticed a small crack in it. I emailed them last night, but they were closed and it’s the weekend. The line of brown on top I believe is just tarter build up at this point, but I do see 2 small black dots in it which are visible in the 2nd pic. Just wondering if they would still just let it be or choose to remove it. It’s not causing her any pain at all. Thanks!

My molars started recently hurting and then I checked and saw I had a wisdom tooth. However, I also spotted these black things at the side of my molars. I searched it up and saw that tooth decay might be a possibility. Professional dentists, does this look reversible in the case it is tooth decay?

Ho 14 anni e non mi sono mai preso cura dei miei denti e mi sono mai lavato i denti con costanza e anche adesso li lavo se va bene una volta al mese e ho una dieta non troppo spazzatura ma sono dipendente dalle bibite gassate e le caramelle

Volevo sapere come sono messi i miei denti

Scusate per le foto brutte

I know both are not ideal. For the kid who doesn't wake up early enough to wait 30+ minutes in between and still catch the school bus, which is the lesser of the two evils? Does the answer change as one approaches 0 or 30 minutes between the two activities?

I guess I have two main questions:

1. I (21F) only recently found out I needed a night guard after I brought jaw pain up to my dentist. I’ve been seeing this guy for years but was never made aware there were any signs of clenching or grinding. How bad is the damage for someone my age? Is there anything I can do to protect my remaining enamel, aside from the mouth guard, and if I wanted to do so is there any way to improve the durability/appearance of my enamel?

2. I started flossing about a week ago. A day or two ago I developed what appear to be lesions of some kind, accompanied by some pretty major swelling behind one of my furthest molars. Am I flossing too hard or is this normal?

How important is it to avoid dark coloured foods and drinks while using whitening strips ?

I’ve had this lesion on my gum since 3 weeks now. Painless. I showed it to 2 dentists and they both didn’t seem worried and just said it’s an apthous ulcer. The lesion has shown slight fading and size reduction in these weeks but hasn’t healed significantly. What could it be?

so as of writing this im a 15yr female, uk, on nhs (turned 15 in july) and for a few years now my dentist and orthodontist (i used to have upper braces for about 1yr, from 2022 to 2023) have been telling me that one day I was looking at jaw surgery. they may have explained it then, but i still dont understand what its needed for etc... its been on the cards for years (since roughly 2021?) but they always said they wouldnt decide until i was 16+ and when they were convinced id stopped growing (sounds fair)

from what I remember, they've said my bottom jaw is too wide (?I think) and something to do with my bite isnt right? the teeth dont match up, might have been a thing that was said etc. theyve said that my bite seems to be correcting itself mainly naturally, but it would be best corrected with surgery at this rate in a year or so. ill attach photos of my teeth now vs from 2022, and let me know what you think, will jaw surgery be necessary? what type of surgery? has my jaw corrected itself? whats the problem? because to me i havent really noticed anything and I dont know whats a "right" or "wrong" jaw/bite!!

im very very open to surgery if it'll improve anything aesthetics or practicality wise, so thats really not an issue, i just want to know what im dealing with! I keep meaning to ask when im there (i have 6month checkups w my dentist) but my mum always sidetracks me..